Keep the Flame Alive: Two school playing fields a month sold since 2012 Olympics

Michael Gove's department has approved the sale of two school playing fields
every month since the Olympics, new figures show.

Figures published by the Department for Education show that 50 playing fields between May 2010 when the new Government was formed and June 2013.
Of those, 19 applications were approved by ministers since last August’s London 2012 Olympics, which was meant to increase sports participation.Photo: PA

Figures published by the Department for Education show that 50 playing fields between May 2010 when the new Government was formed and June 2013.

Of those, 19 applications were approved by ministers since last August’s London 2012 Olympics, which was meant to increase sports participation.

The figures also disclose that the Government over-ruled its own advisers on playing fields six times in the past three years.

Last year Education secretary Michael Gove was forced to apologise after an investigation by The Daily Telegraph found that the number of school playing fields in England sold off was higher than had been previously admitted.

The revelations led to tens of thousands of people to sign a petition urging Mr Gove to bring in more protections for playing fields.

“Parents will be shocked that the Government is still selling off playing fields, many against the advice of the independent playing fields panel. School sport provision is already patchy since Michael Gove dismantled Labour’s School Sports Partnerships.

“The Government needs to focus on school sport – they should start by restoring Labour’s minimum requirement that all children do at least 2 hours of PE and competitive sport every week.”

When playing fields are sold other sports facilities were put in their place, while any proceeds had to be put back into improving sports and school facilities.

A department spokesman said: “The number of playing fields approved for disposal by the Government is falling. It is not the Government or the Department for Education that instigates the disposal of school playing fields.

“It is the schools themselves and their local authorities that propose to convert these often surplus or un-used fields to invest in school sport or education. Local authorities must consult widely prior to making an application.

“This Government will only give local authorities and schools permission to dispose of school playing fields if the sports and curriculum needs of the school and its neighbouring schools can continue to be met.”

Some 10,000 playing fields were sold off between 1979 and 1997 under the Tories. But under Labour, between 1997 and 2010, only 226 were sold.